Woman who sued Bill Cosby for sexual battery awarded $19.2 million

Woman Sued by Bill Cosby Secures $19.2 Million Verdict

A Southern California civil jury has awarded $19.2 million to Donna Motsinger, a woman who claimed Bill Cosby sexually assaulted her over five decades ago, according to her legal representative. The verdict, delivered Monday, stems from a 2023 lawsuit filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court in Santa Monica. Pending are additional punitive damages in the case, which alleges Cosby committed sexual battery by attacking a server he encountered at a Northern California eatery in 1972.

Details of the Allegations

Motsinger’s lawsuit claims she met Cosby at a restaurant in Sausalito, where she worked as a server. The suit states that he invited her to a stand-up performance at a theater near San Francisco, offering a limo ride and a glass of wine. Later, she reported feeling unwell and believed Cosby gave her an aspirin. She then lost consciousness and woke up at her home, fully undressed except for her underwear, as per the legal documents.

“She knew she had been drugged and raped by Bill Cosby,” the lawsuit states.

Responses and Context

Cosby, 88, has rejected the accusations, maintaining his innocence throughout the proceedings. A former spokesperson for the entertainer expressed disappointment, calling the verdict a “dangerous precedent” that allows old claims, lacking solid evidence, to hold weight. The case marks one of many legal challenges against Cosby, who has faced numerous allegations of sexual misconduct over the years.

“This verdict sets a dangerous precedent to allow decade-old allegations, presented without evidence or proof, to stand,” the representative said.

Broader Legal Landscape

Dozens of women have publicly accused Cosby of sexual misconduct, including a former college sports administrator in Pennsylvania who alleged he drugged and raped her in 2004. In 2018, he was convicted of three felony charges related to those claims, but the ruling was reversed in 2021 when the state Supreme Court ruled he had been denied his right to avoid self-incrimination. Meanwhile, lawsuits in Nevada from three years prior, also involving sexual assault, remain unresolved. Cosby has consistently denied all claims, insisting his account has never changed.

Tim Stelloh, a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital, covered the developments.